Tragedy In Washington: At Least 6 Killed After Amtrak Train Derails Onto State Highway
On the first day of Amtrak’s new regional high-speed rail service, an unfortunate derailment in Washington state occurred this morning. Happening right in Pierce County in the city of DuPont, here’s what we know so far about fatal accident.
Visible for you to see right on Google Maps, an Amtrak train running from Seattle to Portland derailed this morning around 7:40AM.
Veering off track right near DuPont, Washington, the Amtrak train was carrying a total of 78 passengers and 5 crew members. The crash took place on the interstate highway overpass, resulting in 13 out of the 14 train cars to jump the track.
So far is has been reported that at least 6 people have died and roughly 80 additional people have sent to local hospitals.
According to a spokesman for the Pierce County Sheriff's Office, no motorists were killed in the derailment - although at least 5 vehicles were struck when the train jumped the track. While the most recent report shows that at least six people suffered fatal injuries, most other passengers that were sent to local hospitals appear to have non-life threatening injuries, thankfully.
Governor Jay Inslee of Washington declared a State of Emergency after the derailment occurred, with the National Transportation of Safety Board reporting that it's still too soon to tell how the train's speed affected the accident.
Unfortunately those living in the area are already familiar with the fact that this new Amtrak service was a cause for concern for many. Local government officials fought Amtrak's new 501 Cascades train service, claiming that it was lacking safety features. The new high-speed train service was meant to shorten commutes by bypassing areas with lots of train passenger traffic. The new service gave the trains the ability to reach up to 79MPH, while according to sites like Transitdocs.com the Amtrak train was going 81.1MPH just before it derailed.
To get a better idea of how bad the derailment was, check out the aerial footage captured by ABC News via Twitter.
NEW: Aerial view provides fuller look at devastating Amtrak train derailment in Washington state; “multiple fatalities” reported according to officials. https://t.co/4rDhIR6a5Rpic.twitter.com/7ND0vylheR
Writer for Only In Your State. Scribbling about all things New York and Buffalo related while also keeping you updated on the latest travel news! Inquiries: Lmonroe@onlyinyourstate.com
